by Paul Apple | Sep 29, 2020 | Sports
For a team with Super Bowl aspirations, this embarrassing showing on the largest stage by the Baltimore Ravens has to be concerning. This was a game that had all of the hype and buildup. It was a chance at home for the Ravens to exorcise their demons of the past; to...
by Paul Apple | Sep 28, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE SOVEREIGN GOD PROVIDES SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO CONFIRM HIS MISSION OF REDEMPTION AND TO JUSTIFY HIS JUDGMENT AGAINST STUBBORN REBELLIONINTRODUCTION:Stubborn rebellion is not a wise course of action to pursue against the demands of a sovereign God. God’s...
by Paul Apple | Sep 26, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: BECAUSE GOD IS SOVEREIGN AND SUFFICIENT, OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S CALL IS THE ONLY OPTION THAT MAKES SENSEINTRODUCTION:Like Moses, we can easily be overwhelmed with a sense of our own inadequacy. But God is unwavering in His commitment to His kingdom agenda. He...
by Paul Apple | Sep 25, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: ADDITIONAL COVENANT ASSURANCES SUPPORT THE RENEWED COMMISSION TO FORTIFY THE LEADERSHIP OF MOSES AND AARONINTRODUCTION:Sometimes you just have to revert back to the old axiom: “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again!” The Lord knew that Moses and...
by Paul Apple | Sep 22, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: DESPITE OPPOSITION AND FRUSTRATION, THE SERVANT OF GOD MUST CONTINUE TO LOOK TO THE LORD FOR ULTIMATE SUCCESSINTRODUCTION:When the divine mission is clear and the commitment has been made to boldly step out in faith and obey, the expectation is that God will...
by Paul Apple | Sep 21, 2020 | Sports
Another dominating performance by the Ravens on Sunday against the Houston Texans. I was able to “put the hay in the barn” early in the second half. (My wife hates for me to do that … but it is a game I play as to when to declare the game irrevocably won – trying to...
by Paul Apple | Sep 20, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: FINAL PREPARATION FOR SUCCESSFULLY FULFILLING GOD’S MISSION FOR YOUR LIFE INVOLVES:- COMMITMENT TO OBEY- CONFIDENCE IN GOD’S LOVE- CONSECRATION (INCLUDING NECESSARY REPENTANCE)- COLLABORATION (WITH OTHER LEADERS AND WITH GOD’S PEOPLE)INTRODUCTION:Moses has...
by Paul Apple | Sep 19, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: PERSISTENT HESITATION AND OBJECTIONS REGARDING OBEYING GOD’S CALL (DESPITE DIVINE ASSURANCES) END UP ANGERING GODINTRODUCTION:Our life as a believer should be all about pleasing our Lord Jesus Christ. But if you want to learn how to anger God, this account...
by Paul Apple | Sep 18, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE FULL WEIGHT OF GOD’S AUTHORITY STANDS BEHIND THE DIVINE CALL TO MOSESINTRODUCTION:It is significant that before issuing the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus points to His all-encompassing authority as the motivation to take courage and tackle...
by Paul Apple | Sep 14, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: GOD’S DRAMATIC CALL TO MOSES DETAILS HIS COMMITMENT TO DELIVER FLOWING OUT OF HIS COMPASSION FOR ISRAEL’S BONDAGEINTRODUCTION:The burning bush theophany ranks right up there as one of the greatest attention-grabbers of all time. No surprise that Moses...
by Paul Apple | Sep 13, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: DEVELOPING LEADERS FIRST EXPERIENCE FLESHLY FAILURE BEFORE LEARNING TO SUBMIT TO GOD’S TIMETABLE AND TRUST IN GOD’S EMPOWERMENT –3 KEY LESSONS FOR LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENTINTRODUCTION:Before God’s people even cry out for a deliverer, the sovereign plan...
by Paul Apple | Sep 11, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD PROTECTED MOSES AFTER HIS BIRTH, PLUCKED HIM FROM THE NILE AND PREPARED HIM FOR HIS FUTURE LEADERSHIP ROLEINTRODUCTION:The Providence of God dominates the events surrounding the birth and protection of the baby Moses. Significant...
by Paul Apple | Sep 10, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE BACKDROP FOR DIVINE DELIVERANCE AND THE FULFILMENT OF COVENANT PROMISES SHOWCASES GOD’S BLESSING AND PROTECTION DESPITE SATAN’S EFFORTS TO THWART GOD’S PURPOSESINTRODUCTION:Four hundred years is a long time for God’s people to be experiencing dark days...
by Paul Apple | Sep 8, 2020 | Sports
It is a good time to evaluate the Orioles with the truncated season already 2/3 completed. The record for the Baltimore Orioles stands at a surprising 19-21 (including an impressive 9-6 away record), despite most pundits picking them to be one of the worst teams in...
by Paul Apple | Sep 3, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE DYNAMICS OF INTERCESSORY PRAYER AND ENCOURAGING FELLOWSHIP SUPPORT OUR GOAL OF TRUSTING OUR GREAT SHEPHERD TO EQUIP US TO DO THE WILL OF GODINTRODUCTION:Finally we come to the miscellaneous closing sections of the book. Some of the great themes of the...
by Paul Apple | Sep 1, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: SUSTAINING PERSEVERANCE REQUIRES:- STABILITY IN GRACE AND FAITH- SACRIFICES OF PRAISE AND GOOD WORKS AND- SUBMISSION TO OUR SPIRITUAL LEADERSINTRODUCTION:This closing section of practical exhortations that center around religious duties as compared to our...
by Paul Apple | Aug 31, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: OUR LOVE AND REVERENT SERVICE TO GOD MUST BE COUPLED WITH CULTIVATING:- AGGRESSIVE LOVE TOWARDS THE BRETHREN- MARITAL FIDELITY AND- CONFIDENT CONTENTMENTINTRODUCTION:How do we behave towards our Christian brethren? How do we treat our spouse? What is our...
by Paul Apple | Aug 30, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE SUPERIORITY OF THE NEW COVENANT BRINGS GREATER JUDGMENT IF WE FAIL HEED GOD’S WARNINGSINTRODUCTION:What a contrast the author paints between the terrifying / unapproachable nature of the God of the Old Covenant and the welcoming / approachable entrance...
by Paul Apple | Aug 29, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: ENCOURAGE THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY:- TO PERSEVERE IN RUNNING THE RACE AND- TO PURSUE PEACE AND PURITYINTRODUCTION:This passage continues the same context as the previous section which focused on Divine Discipline – not so much for addressing specific sin –...
by Paul Apple | Aug 29, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: DIVINE DISCIPLINE (IN THE FORM OF SUFFERING) COMES FROM THE HAND OF OUR LOVING FATHER FOR OUR GOODINTRODUCTION:The age old problem of suffering is addressed here in the context of family discipline from a loving heavenly Father. False professors of faith in...
